Follower for filing-receptacles.



A. T. wmss. FOLLOWER FOR FILING REOEPTAGLES.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.18, 1913.

1, 1 14,081 Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT T. WEISS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO YA WMAN & ERBE MFG.

I 00., OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

EOLLOWEB FOR FILING-RECEPTACLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

Application filed December 18, 1913. Serial No. 807,490.

for Filing-Receptac es; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specificatlon, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention relates to furniture and more particularly to filing devices for the vertical system of filing letters and papers and it has for itsobject to provide a filing receptacle, such as a, drawer for a fil-; ing cabinet, provided with a follower or compressor adjustable therein, the improvements being directed more particularly toward the adjusting and locking means for the follower with a view to rendering the construction simple, cheap and eflicient and convenient to the user.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction particularly ada ted to be advantageously produced from s eet metal material for use in metallic or fire proof furniture. To these and. other ends the invention resides in certain improve ments and combinatlons of parts all as W111 be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

.In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a filing receptacle and f0 ower constructed in accordance with and illustrating one embodiment of my invention, the Same being viewed from a point in rear of the follower; Fig. 2 is a horizontal fragmentary section taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on the line H of Fig. 1. Similar reference numerals throughout the several figures indicate the same parts.

The improvements are illustrated in the present instance as embodied in a sheet metal filing drawer embodying a front 1, sides 2 and bottom 3. The side walls are preferably somewhat lower than the front wall, as is usual, and are surmounted in each instance by a plate 4 which, after being turned across the edge to provide a shoulder 5 and'thence extended upwardly, is flanged inwardly at 6 and thence downwardly at 7 to form an inwardly opening channel or guideway 8; The flange 7 is in the fem of a vertically disposed rack being provided with a series of downwardly projecting teeth 9.

The follower I0 is also preferably constituted by a flat sheet metal plate having rearwardly turned flanges 11 and 12 at its top and bottom, respectively, and similar flanges 13 at the sides which strengthen or stiffen the plate and also act in other capacities hereinafter mentioned. A horizontal transverse lock bar la disposed against the rear face of the follower plate has a lateral or vertical movement in guides 15 formed by vertical slots in the side flanges 13 while its pro ecting ends rest on the shoulders 5 of the channels 8 in the lowered position and interlock with the rack-teeth 9 in the raised position. Laterally turned forwardly or rearwardly projecting guide shoes 16 secured. t0 the plate 10 adjacent to the ends of the bar 14 and projecting through the same slots 15 slidably engage within the channels 8- in the drawer to support the follower.

The operating means for the lock bar 14 preferably consists of a plate 17 rigidly secured centrally on the bar and disposed ver tically against the plate 10. It is guided for vertical movement aside from the guides 15 for the bar by a tongue 18 struck up from the material 'of the plate 10 and received within a vertical slot 19 in the plate 17. The upper portion of the latter proceeds rearwardly at 20 and upwardly at 21 to clear the flange 11 at the top edge of the follower and thence is turned forwardly at 22 to overhang the said flange 11 and finally downwardly, as shown in Fig. 4, transversely of the flange. 'Short flanges 23 at the ends of the overhanging portion 22 gives the latter the character of a cup or 1 pocket which is used to retain a simple leaf or bow spring 24 interposed between it and the follower and acting against the top flange 11 of the latter. It will be noted that the formation of this pocket 22 also serves to provide a broad, smooth and substantial hand piece or knob to receive pressure from the hand of the operator.

The operation of the device will be obvious to those familiar with the art.

The spring 24 seeks to raise the plate 17 and lock bar 14, normally holding the ends of the latter interlocked with teeth on the rack 9. To change the position of the follower, it is only necessary to press down on the part 22 compressing the spring and to at the same time move the follower in either direction desired.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a filing recepta cle provided with side walls having inwardly opening channels at their tops embodying inwardly and thence downwardly turned flanges and a plurality of vertically disposed teeth formed in said flanges, of a follower movable in the receptacle and provided with vertical guides, a horizontal lock bar extending transversely of the follower and movable vertically in the said guides into and out of engagement with the teeth and shoes at the ends of the follower adapted to run in the respective channels of the receptacle.

2. The combination with a filing receptacle provided with side walls having inwardly opening channels at their tops embodying inwardly and thence downwardly turned flanges and a plurality of downwardly projecting teeth formed in the downwardly turned portions of the said flanges, of a follower movable in the receptacle and rovided with vertical guides, a horizontal ock bar extending transversely of the follower and movable vertically in the said guides into and out of engagement with the teeth and shoes at the ends of the follower adapted to run in the respective'channels of the receptacle.

3. The combination with a filing receptacle, a follower therein, a lock rod carried by the follower and cooperating with the receptacle and means for guiding the follower in the latter, of a vertically movable operating member for the lock rod comprising a plate connected thereto and disposed vertically on the follower, being formed to proceed horizontal-ly and to overhang the top edge of the latter and a spring disposed between such overhanging portion and the follower.

4. The combination with a filing receptacle, a follower therein, a lock rod carried by the follower and cooperating with the receptacle and means for guiding the follower in the latter, of a vertically movable operating member for the lock rod comprising a plate connected thereto and disposed vertically on the follower, being formed to proceed horizontally and to overhang the top edge of the latter, a pocket in such overhanging portion of the operating member and a spring retained in said ocket between the latter and the top face 0 the follower.

5. The combination with a filing receptacle, a follower therein, a horizontally disposed and vertically movable lock rod carried by the follower and cooperating with the receptacle, said follower being provided with vertical guides for the lock rod, and means for guiding the follower in the receptacle, of a vertically movable operating member for the lock rod rigidly connected thereto comprising a slotted plate disposed against the rear face of the follower and having a horizontally disposed portion arranged to overhang the top face of the latter, a spring disposed between such overhanging portion and the follower and a rearwardly projecting ear on'the latter cooperating with the slot in the operating member to guide the same.

ALBERT T. WEISS. Witnesses:

WALTER B. PAYNE, RUSSELL B. GRIFFITH. 

